WHAT A TREAT!

For those of you who have not seen Cinema Paradiso. Here is the whole flippin' film!!

For those of you like me who have seen this film countless times and can't get enough of it, well, here's a chance to put on your slippers, fill that pipe and indulge yourselves once more.

I have met people over the years who have dismissed this film as sentimental hogwash. Each to their own.

I prefer the comment i read just now by a fan on Youtube, who said it is a love letter to film.  I couldn't have put it better myself.  (Plus it has one of the best movie soundtracks of all time by the talented Mr Enrico Morricone).

GEORGES LEPAPE

Studied at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, and the ateliers of Humbert and Cormon. In 1911 he illustrated Les Choses de Paul Poiret and the following year programmes for the Ballet Russe . 

He also illustrated Innumerable magazines covers and fashion plates for La Gazette du Bon Ton and Vogue.

In 1911, Poiret again published a brochure of his designs, this time created by another young artist, Georges Lepape, who had been trained in the atelier run by Fernand Cormon, where Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh, Sérusier, Matisse, and Picabia had all studied. Les Choses de Paul Poiret, vues par Georges Lepape appeared in a larger edition: one thousand copies were printed (Paris: 1911). Lepape, too, had absorbed the lessons of bright color taught by the Ballet Russes, and his pochoir prints of Poiret's still high-waisted fashions in this brochure and later in the Gazette du Bon Ton used line drawings with large areas of blues, greens, reds, pinks, and yellows.


I'm a particular fan of the slightly naive quality to his work and of course his extraordinary sense of colour.


Let's have a quick peek at some of his work.

There is something of the Beardsley about this design, i love her little reticule dangling from her waist and the little pom-pom/powder puff.

These two prints are probably among some of my favourites.  Great use of colour.

Love the stripy curtains!

This final print is probably my favourite, i adore the colours and sense of movement.

TURBAN OF THE DAY

Tres jolie, non?

MAE OUI!!


I'm not really seeing much of dear Mae of late on the vintage blogosphere...so here's a lovely interview with the grand dame of sassy herself.

Chock full of her inimitable wit and sparkle.

You gotta love the broad, i mean, she's in her mid-eighties in this clip and actually, aside from the dodgy barnet, still looks pretty good, (having said that, she could look like Freddy Krugers' Mum with a yeast complaint and still do no wrong in my eyes....)

JUST A FEW MINUTES OUT OF YOUR DAY...

Being that i live right near the Rye fisheries, I know and have seen first hand that the fishermen go out in all manner of inclement weather and generally brave the elements, to put a fishy on our plate.

As far as i'm concerned i don't think about, or appreciate the lengths they go to nearly enough really.  Do you?

Let us not forget the brave work of the RNLI and all the other lifeboat institutions, not forgetting The Royal Navy and their stirling work either. 

It would be nice if we could all listen to this and just spare a thought for all those brave men and women, past and present, who give and have given their lives in service to their country and its people and all the other sea-faring folk who work relentlessly day in day out, sometimes in the most hazardous of conditions.

Please don't think me too mawkish or sentimental.

I think we should listen to this lovely hymn to inspire us to spare a few thoughts for these courageous people.

Actually what has prompted all this talk so far, aside from my thinking about the fisherman of late, is that i have an exciting project to tell you about shortly.

It is the brainchild of a lovely friend and colleague and i have to say i was very moved when she recounted the story behind its conception to me. It really struck a chord and basically i take my hat off to her for her hard work and really for just giving a damn and having the mettle to do something about it.

All will be revealed toot sweet!

TURBAN OF THE DAY


Vintage Emilio Pucci

I will treat you dear followers to another seeing as we are on the cusp of Saturday and Sunday...

The magnificent Loretta Young.. I love the way the tulips in her turban match the bedspread.

I will be posting a 1940's Pathe clip shortly, showing how to tie all manner of turbans using a simple scarf or two.  You won't know how you managed before!

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

I'm going to try and post at least one recipe a week, (see, i'm going with the whole Julia Childs idea Michael, syndicate, syndicate, haha!!).

This week it's Prosciutto e Piselli, or Peas and Ham to those of you who don't speaka da lingo.

Traditionally this would be served as a side-dish.



Ingredients

Serves 4-6

800 grams of frozen peas, (one uses petit pois)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 tsp of sugar
2-3 tbsp Olive Oil
400 grams pancetta, streaky bacon or italian cooked ham, cubed or sliced into small pieces
I - 1 1/2 chicken stock cube (Sorry to be vague on amounts, but you want a tasty broth so more than one cube may be needed depending on what brand you use, personal taste etc).
Salt and Pepper
A small handful of chopped parsley to garnish (optional)

How to take care of business

Heat water in a medium saucepan and add the stock cube(s).
Stir until the cube(s) dissolves.
Bring the broth to the boil and then add the peas.
Simmer the peas until they are cooked, then drain and set aside. Reserve a ladle or two of the broth and set aside.
In a medium frying pan, add the olive oil, heat, then add the two garlic cloves.
Brown the garlic cloves in the oil, but be careful not to burn them!
When the garlic is browned, add the chopped meat, stir well and cook gently until the meat is cooked through and starts to brown and sizzle nicely.
Remove the garlic cloves.
Add the sugar and stir through the meat until it caramelizes somewhat.
Next add the cooked peas and stir through the mixture.
Then add the reserved broth, bring to the boil and simmer very gently until nearly all the liquid is absorbed. You may want to use more than a ladle of broth, i usually use one and a half.
Season to taste and add parsley before serving.
This dish REALLY benefits from being cooked beforehand and left for at least a few hours, then reheated and served.  (Or nom it cold from the fridge, the choice is yours...)

Variation:  Add half a ladle of white wine and half a ladle of broth to the peas and meat mixture. You can also add an onion to the mix with the garlic, at the start of cooking if you wish.

You can also chop the garlic and leave it in the dish, just don't let it burn. NASTY!

This makes a great accompaniment to cooked meats.  It also makes a great brunch or light supper dish, served with some crusty bread, or you could push the boat out and serve it with a poached egg on top or thrown onto some pasta.

Buonissimo!!